Solar-powered steel production from Lightsource bp’s Bighorn Project in Colorado
The iron and steel sector is the “world’s largest industrial source of climate pollution.” This steel mill in Pueblo, Colorado will be the first in North America to rely on solar power.
State solar news: Net metering attacked in Vermont and Utah, Maine goes big in PV
In Vermont and Utah, net metering is under attack — in danger of being significantly devalued or eliminated. In Arizona, the state’s rooftop solar export rates have been saved for at least another year. Outside of policy, Maine has announced the winners of the state’s largest-ever renewable solicitation.
Solar installation spotlight: balancing modernity and heritage at the Boulder Jewish Community Center
Sustainability, lower operating costs and return on investment all became paramount issues for the development of this system that will serve the Colorado nonprofit and surrounding Jewish community.
Solar installation spotlight: Boulder’s Calcaire House proves not all residential projects are created equal
As if a 60 kW residential system wasn’t novel enough, city energy mandates, environmental extremes and specific construction needs all combined to form a unique set of circumstances for one Colorado developer to overcome.
Morning Brief: Distributed Solar Development has acquired a community solar portfolio, community outreach in Hawaii
Also in the brief: solar pros running for elected office, Longroad Energy has announced a partnership with Maine’s Unity College, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation has chosen a management platform for its distributed generation program and more.
More utilities bypassing natural gas bridge and going straight to renewables
Utilities that are transitioning away from coal are starting to view the creation of a natural gas “bridge” to renewable energy as an unnecessary step.
Morning Brief: NERA anti-net metering petition update, renewables top nuclear and coal again
“Reports indicate that the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, the Heartland Institute and NERA all have ties to the Koch brothers, who have funded climate denial and pro-fossil fuel campaigns for roughly three decades.”
Advocates seek solar on all new houses in ten states
“The most efficient time to install solar panels is when the builders are on the roof in the first place,” said Bronte Payne with Environment America.
Solar opportunities ‘ignored’ across 100 million acres in the Southwest
The Bureau of Land Management “has ignored most possibilities” for utility-scale solar “on its vast land holdings across the solar-rich Southwest,” says a paper. Renewable energy development accounts for less than 1% of economic activity on BLM lands, while oil and gas account for 70%, according to BLM data.
Morning Brief: Sunrun launches residential energy storage virtual power plant, Panasonic expands its panel warranty
Also in the brief: Verizon is back at the bottom of Green America’s Clean Energy Wireless Scorecard, Solar United Neighbors and Vote Solar have submitted over 20,000 public comments against NERA, an early coal plant retirement and more.
